Upholstering apparatus.



Patented lune I2` |900.

J. L. HEFFNER. UPHLSTERI'NG APPARATUS.

(Application led June 3, 1898.1

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

B .uw L, E

'mi Nonms Przns cc.. PHoTo-LITHm'wAsNINoroN. D. c.

'Yin 4STATES JOI-IN L. HEFFNER, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

UP'HoLsTERINc APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION female part f Lettere Patent ive. 651,486, aerea fruire 12, 1906. Application lled el'une 3, 18.98. Serial No. 682,487. (No model.)

-T0 all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN L. HEFFNER, a citi- Len of the United States, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements iu Upholstering Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to upholstering apparatus for use in producing continuouslytufted cushions, pads, or cushion-sections to be employed for covering couches, chairs, and the like.

The objects of my invention are to facilitate the making of the padding by lirst providing a machine of the character described with means for quickly and easily changing the depth of the mold or former-in which the padding is made, whereby any thickness of padding may be constructed without the necessity of employing forming-blocks of various heights; secondly, to provide better means for tying or securing the padding at intervals to give it its form and so retain it, and, lastly, to provide means for simultaneously operating a series of lids or covers for the formercompartments.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my entire machine. Fig. 2 is a plan View of a portion of the machine shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a partial sectional end elevation of the machine, showing means for adjusting the bottom thereof. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a section of the machine, showing the form of a dividing-partition. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of independent former-blocks and an adjustable bottom of the former cut in sections. Fig. 5a is a perspective View of the form of padding made by this machine. Fig. 6 is a sectional end elevation of a modified form of my device, showing means for imparting vertical movement to the sides of the mold or former.

I am perfectly aware that devices 0f the character herein described for making single length of tufting have been used heretofore and that they have been provided with various devices for more perfectly forming the padding. I am also aware that several methods of providing partitions to form trays have It has been customary to change the depth of the mold or former by inserting blocks of various heights in the bottom of the compartments; but this is a clumsyand unsatisfactory method.

My improvements may be fully understood from what follows. A represents the sides of the mold or former, which are supported by the standards B and held rigidly with relation to each other by the yokes C C. A number of vertical slots E are cut in the sides in the manner shown and eX- tend from the top to the bottom. A vertical partition or wall F, secured in each slot, eX- tends across the machine to the opposite slots and are there secured. A space is leftibetween the partitions and the adjoining section sufficient to permit the passage of a cord or wire for tying the tufts. A portion of the entire length of the bottom of the mold is cut out and a false bottom I-I made to fit therein, capable of vertical adjustment by means of a thread-bar J at each end of the machine. A crank is provided for driving either one or both of said bars, and a driving-chain serves to impart motion to both alike by means of the sprockets K. By this means the false bottom H is moved vertically on a perfect level at all times. The thread-bars have their bearings in the yokes C, as shown, and the upper extremities carry the housings or sockets H, secured to the adjustable portion H described. A series of blocks I is secured to the bottom, a space being left between each block to permit raising and lowering without interfering With the partitions F. It will be seen tha-t the partitions or division-walls F are cut out to leave the space F. This is to permit the portion H to rise freely to any height. Removable blocks Gr are provided for each of the compartments, and these may be of any desired shape. I provide a lid or cover M for each of the said compartments or trays; but they v are all mounted by arms M upon a shaft N, held in brackets N on the side of the mold, and move in a body. A lever O serves to operate the covers thus located, and a pin O', Fig. 2, 4en- IOO VIC)

gages openings or depressions in a quadrant P for locking the lids or covers in the extreme positions. In Fig. 6 I show another manner in which my device may be operated with good results. The bottom II in this case is held firmly by the standards or legs B, and,

the sides A are permitted to move vertically. The results are identical with those of the first form and merely show how the construction may be altered.

In operation of the form shown in Fig. I the bottom I-I is elevated to the desired height by the thread-bars and the tying cord or wire is placed within the slotsE upon the bottom either in single lengths or for convenience in a zigzag manner through each successive pair `ot'.` slots, as shown in Fig. 2, usingin this case 'asingle strand of the tying medium. The device is now packed with padding material and the strings are tied to formrthe` tufts. It islobvious that if the single length of tying -material is employed it is severed at each` side to"form single lengths before being tied. Itwill be seenthat a very important part of fmy invention is the use of some means other;

than the old blocks before mentioned for quickly and easily changing the depth ofthe mold for making diiferent thicknesses of padding, and this, at least in so far as I am aware, hasfnotbeen used inmachin'es ofthis char` acter. 'Another point in my deviceis the` mounting of all` t-he lids or covers M upona; common-shaft and all moved simultaneously instead of individually, as heretofore. `It is "the covers, as by placing the material Within the `mold and holding it with the hand it may `be tieda-s in the :tirst instance.

"The partitions may betdispensed With,

adjustable-bottom than that shown and described may be employed.

The Apartitions instead of `being slotted, as shown, maybe extended entirely to the bot` tom `of the former and the adjustable portion II/instead of being vmade in a continuous `Ylength maybe dividedintoas many sections asthereare compartments, and such sections may be individually mounted upon arms which would reach up into the mold and carry rthe l attached sections. Furthermore, so mounted the entire seriesmay be movedtof gether or moved one at a time, each being lfreeof its neighbor, `whereby each tuf t could 'bemade of adierent` thickness. Vto suit the Wants of the operator. The adjusting means l for chan gingthe thickness'of the tuftin g may -be transferred to the top of the machine, or, in other Words, the covers could be arranged to `descend Within the mold and the bottom re main fixed and the result be just as effective. The sides A may also be adjustable, so that "fthefwidth of the tufted sections may be al-t *tered to suit special requirements. For certain kinds of Work thepartitions evident that thedevice may be used without may be dispensed with and the cord or other tying medium may be employed to contract the padding at various points in its length, thus making the padding into biscuit form, as in Fig. 2,

I donot intend to confine myself to any particular constructiomand various changes may be made to produce a valuable machine in the hands of the user.

Having thus described'my invention in its various details, I broadly claiml. In an upholstering apparatus, a mold or former comprising a series of tufting-compartments, partitions Within the mold for separating the compartments, slots in the sides of the mold or former running the full depth thereof adjacent ,to the said partitions, means for varying the depth ofzthe mold,-and simultaneouslybperated lids or covers for;` the said compartments for the purposes setforth.

2. 'In an upholstering.apparatus,.a mold or former comprising a `series oftufting-compartments, a series of simultaneously-operated covers or lids, slots in the-sides of the mold runningthe full depth of the moldsaid slotsbeing in line with 'the spaces between the covers, `partitions occupying fposition Within the slots, an opening or slot` in each of the partitions for the purposes set forth `and means for increasing or decreasing thedepth of; the mold for the purposes set forth.

3.. In an upholstering apparatus, a mold or former comprisinga .series of tuftingcom partments, partitions for Aseparating them, slots in the sides ofthe mold in line `with the divisions of the several .compartments,and a vertically-adjustable bottom for themold or formersubstantially as described.

,4. In an upholsteringapparatumamold or former comprising a series of tuftingcompartments, A. vpartitions for separating them, slots in the sides of the moldin linewith the divisions of the several compartments, a vertically-adjustable bottom fonthe-mold and a series of removable blocks `therefor substantiallyas set forth and described.

5. In an upholstering` apparatus, a mold or former comprisingl a series of tufting-compartmen-ts, partitions forv separating` them, slots inthe sides of the mold `in lline with the divisions of theseveral compartments,a vertically-adjustablebottom `for the mold, aseries of removable blocks therefor-and simultaneously operated covers. .for the, .several compartments substantiallyas set fortlgit and described.

6. Inan upholstering. apparatus a moldor former compr1s1ng a seriesr of tufting-com- `partmentsga lid orcoveri foreach compartment, slots inthe sides ofthe mold for tying purposesas described, partitionswithin tho mold andl a bottom capable ,ofy verticaladj ustment for the purpose set forth.

7. In an upholstering apparatus comprising amold or former,.the sides xthereof, slots `in the sideswithin Which` to` lay tying medium and anadjustable bottom for `the mold or TOO IZU

ctn-isc s former, upon which to lay the said tying m edium and tufting material as set forth.

8. In an upholstering apparatus, a mold, or former consisting of the sides A, slotsEtherein, transverse partitions F in the slots forming compartments, recesses F in the partitions, in combination With an adjustable bottom adapted to raise and lower within the former, thread-bars suitably journaled on the former for manipulating the bottom, a wheel on each thread-bar and driving means on the Wheels for causing the bars to move alike when one of them is turned substantially as and for the purposes described.

9. In an upholstering apparatus, a mold, or former consisting of the sides A, slots E therein, transverse partitions F in the slots -forming compartments, recesses F in the partitions, covers for the compartments, in combination with an adjustable bottom adapted to raise and lower within the former, threadbars suitably journaled on the former, for manipulating the bottom, a wheel on each thread-bar and driving means on the wheels for causing the bars to move alike when one of them is turned substantially as and for the purposes described and shown.

IO. In an upholstering apparatus, a mold, or former consisting of the sides A, slots E therein, transverse partitions F in the slots forming compartments, recesses F in the partitions, forming-blocks for the compartments in combination with an adjustable bottom adapted to raise and lower Within the former, a thread-bar suitably journaled on the former for manipulating the bottom, a Wheel on each thread-bar and driving means on the wheels for causing the bars to move alike when one of them is turned substantially as and for the purposes described and shown.

11. In an upholsterin g apparatus, a mold, or former consisting of the sides A, slots E therein, transverse partitions F in the slots forming compartments, recesses F in the partitions, covers for the compartments, formingblocks for the compartments in combination with an adjustable bottom adapted to raise and lower Within the former, thread-bars suitably journaled on the former for manipulating the bottom, a wheel on each threadbar and driving means on the wheels for causing the bars to move alike when one of them is turned substantially as and for the purposes described and shown.

In testimony whereof I atlX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOI-IN L. HEFFNER.

Witnesses:

J. I-I. BLUscH, yA. KEITHLEY. 

